Amusement apparatus.



J. GUNZENDORFER.

AMUSBMENT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20,1911.

Patented Sept. 3, 1912.

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JGUNZENDORFER.

`AMUSBMBNT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20,1911.

1,037,474. Patented sept.3,1912.

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JACOB GrUNZENDORFER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

Application filed July 20, 1911. Serial No. 639,621.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 3, 1912.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, JACOB GUNznNDoRrnu, acitizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of SanFrancisco and State of California, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Amusement Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates vto an aquatic amusement device and particularlypertains to a passenger carrying structure which is adapted to besubmerged and propelled through a body of water in simulation of asubmarine boat.

It is the object of this invention to provide a submarine structurewhich is especially adapted for installation in pleasure gardens,recreation parks and similar places of amusement, and by means of whichpassengers may be conveyed beneath the surface of a body of water andwhich is so constructed and designed as to produce the actual sensationsexperienced in traveling in a submarine boat.

A further object is to provide a submarine amusement apparatus, which issafe and reliable and which is not liable to get out of order, and fromwhich egress may be had at all times, thus rendering it safe and freefrom danger.

The invention consists of the parts andthe combination and constructionof parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, havingreference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is alongitudinal section of the invention. Fig. 2 is a rear end view. Fig. 3is a diagrammatic plan view showing the application of the invention andthe method of operating same. Fig. 4 is a detail of the drivingmechanism.

In the drawings A represents a suitable boat, bell, box, car, cylinder,or other suitably shaped and constructed vessel made of suitablewater-proof material designed and constructed to receive and carrypassengers; this vessel being placed in a suitable water containingreceptacle or tank B, either artiiicial, or a natural body of water as alake, canal or river, or other suitable body of water. Preferably,the'vessel A is made of metal and cigar-shaped, and constitutes the hullor passenger conveyance of the apparatus. The vessel is provided withsuitable windows 2 for observation purposes. level floor or deck 3 isconstructed in the hull A a short distance above the bottom thereof,forming a bilge space 4 beneath the f floor, as shown in Fig. 1.Extending longitudinally of the hull A within the bilgc space 4 is arevoluble shaft 5 supported in suitable bearings and extending throughboth ends of the hull A through stuffing boxes 6 and projecting somedistance therebeyond. Mounted on the outer ends of the shaft 5 arepinions 7 which mesh with vertically disposed toothed racks 8; thepinions 7 being retained constantly in mesh with the toothed racks S bymeans of idle rollers 9 mounted on the hull A which bear against thesmooth back of the toothed rack 8, and idler pinions 10 mounted on thehulluA, which mesh with the toothed racks S and are disposed somedistance above the pinions 7 and rollers 9.

The y shaft 5 is adaptedv to be rotated through a suitable transmissionmechanism from a motor 11 disposed in an engine room formed in the hullA. The revoluble shaft 5 with the pinions 7 thereon and the verticalracks 8 are provided as a means forraising and lowering the hull A; theracks 8 being rigidly mounted on a suitable frame 12, in such mannerthat when the shaft 5 and the pinions thereon are rotated the latterwill travel up or down on the racks S as desired, and carry the hull Atherewith.

The transmission mechanism between the shaft 5 and the motor 11 may beof any suitable description and is here shown as oonsisting of asprocket 13 on the shaft 5, a

sprocket 14 on a countershaft 15, a sprocket chain 16 connecting thesprockets 13 and 14; gears 17 and 18 on the countershaft- 15 and gears19 20 on the drive shaft 21 of the motor 11 as particularly shown inFig. 4. The gears 19 and 20 are loose on the drive shaft 21 and areadapted to be alternately connected to the' drive shaft 21 by means of adouble-faced clutch member 22 feathered on the shaft 21 and adapted tobe alternately thrown into engagement with clutch members formed on thegears 19-20. The gear 19 meshes directly with the gear 17 while the gear20 meshes with the gear 18 on the countershaft 15 through an idler gear23, in such manner that when the gear 19 is rotated with the shaft 21,the shaft 5 and pinions 7 will be rotated in such direction as to movethe hull A in a downward direction, and when the gear 20 is engaged withthe shaft 21 through the clutch 22 the shaft 5 and pinions 7 `will berotated in such manner as to move the hull A in an upward direction. Theclutch 22 is arranged to be disposed intermediate of the gears 19 and 2Oand out of engagement therewith so that the drive-shaft 21 may berotated independ ent of and without operating the gears 19 and 20.

Means are provided for locking the shaft 5 against movement when theclutch 20 is disposed in its intermediate or inoperative position. Thismeans is here shown as consisting of a square toothed ratchet 24 on theshaft 5 and a pawl 25 which is adapted to be thrown into engagement withthe sprocket 24 as desired, and thereby lock the shaft 5 againstmovement. the shaft 5 is provided as a means for retaining the hull A inrigid relation to the toothed racks 3 in any desired position.

thereon. Any other suitable means for rotating the shaft 5 in eitherdirection and for locking it against movement may be substituted forthat shown, if desired.

Ingress to and egress from the hull A is obtained through a conningtower 26, which is disposed amidships of the hull A and extends somedistance thereabo-ve; a winding stair 27 leading from the upper end ofthe conning tower 26 to the licor 3 in the hull A. The entrance 0rhatchway to the con ning tower 26 in the upper end thereof, is adaptedto be closed to prevent the passage of water therethrough which watermight splash upon the upper end of the conning tower when the hull A issubmerged.

The carriage 12, on which the toothed racks 8 are mounted, is providedwith rollers 2S which are adapted to travel in a circular track 29; thetrack 29 being provided with an inwardly extending flange on its upperedge which projects over the rollers 28 so that the carriage 12 cannotbe lifted vertically from the track. The carriage 12' is designed to bepropelled around the circular track 29 by means of a propeller 30,mounted on the drive shaft 21 of motor 11, and disposed astern of thehull A. The track 29 is mounted on a bed of a suitable reservoir or tankand being necessarily of a small diameter in comparison with the lengthof the carriage 12, means are provided for centralizi'ng the carriage 12on the track 29. This means is here shown as consisting of an arm 31 oneend of which is connected to the carriage 12 intermediate of its length,as shown in Figs. 2-3; the other end of the arm 31 being pivoted in anysuitable manner at a point 32 corresponding to the center of thecircular track 29. The arm 31 acts to maintain the carriage 12 in thecenter of the track 29 and prevents the weight of the carriage 12 and'its load being thrown on the outermost rail of the track 29. The arm31'also serves as a support for the electrical conductors 33 The lockingofv through which electricity is delivered to the motor 11 and tosuitable lighting fixtures installed within the hull A and whichconductors lead from any source of electric supply through the pivotconnection 32 on the arm 31. Air-tubes 34 are also .carried by the arm31 and lead from any suitable source of air pressure exterior of thereservoir or tank, through the pivotal connection 32, to the interior ofthe hull A. Air may be supplied to the interior of the hull A through apipe 35 disposed in the conning tower 26 and extending from the upperend thereof to a. suitable pointr within the hull A.

In the operation of the invention the carriage 12 carrying the hull Abetween the racks 8, is moved to a point in which the upper end of theconning tower 26 will be disposed adjacent a landing 37, from which agang plank 37 may be lowered to rest upon the conning tower 2G when thehull A is in its uppermost position, as shown in Figs. 2-3. In thisposition passengers are free to enter or to depart from the hull Athrough t-he conning tower 26. Passengers having been taken aboard thehull A, the hatch of the conning tower 26 may be closed, whereupon themotor 11 is set in operation so as to rotate the drive shaft 21 andthereby rotate the propeller 30 and the clutch member 22 thereon. Theclutch member 22 is then thrown into engagement with the clutch memberon the gear 19 so as to rotate the latter and set the gear 17 andcountershaft 15 in motion and thereby rotate the shaft 5 and pinions 7in such direction as to cause the latter to move Clownward on thetoothed racks 8 and thereby submerge the submarine. The moment the hullA reaches its lowermost position the clutch 22 is thrown out ofengagement with the gear 19 and is disposed in its intermediate positionwhereupon the pawl 25 is thrown into locking engagement with thevratchet 24ton the shaft 5 to retain the hull A of the submarine in itssubmerged position. In this position the hull A will rest within aframework 39 mounted on the carriage 12, which frame-work acts to takethe lateral strain olf the pinions elO and the rollers 9 on the verticalracks 8. The length of the conning tower 26 is such that its upper endwill project a short distance above the water when the hull A is in itslowermost position. This arrangement admits of the easy egress of thepassengers and crew of the submarine in event the elevating mechanismbecomes inoperative, and insures a safe and certain means of escape fromthe interior of the hull A at all times. When it is desired to raise thehull A, the clutch member 22 is thrown into engagement with the gear 20so as to rotate the shaft 5 to cause the pinion 7 to travel upward onthe racks 8, as heretofore described; the pawl 25 being previouslythrown out of engagement with the ratchet 24. If desired, the buoyancyof the hull A may be employed in raising it to its uppermost .positionin which event the clutch member 22 and gears 2O will not be used. Inthis case the pawl 25 .will be released from the ratchet 24 so as tofree the shaft 5 whereupon the buoyancy of the hull A will cause it torise, the pinion 7 riding upward upon the racks 8 therewith; a handbrake40 acting on a drum 41 on the shaft 5 being employed as-a means ofretarding the upward movement of the hull. Water tight air compartments42 are provided on the top of the hull A to add to its buoyancy.

Ventilation is provided for by suitable means, preferably by naturaldraft from an air intake 43 through the conning tower at isome pointabove the permanent water line, thence by connecting pipe 35 to avseries of vents 44 distributed throughout the interior of the vessel.The radius rod .or arm 31 which connects to a central post 32 formsmeans for the necessary electrical connections and the light between thevessel and the exterior of the tank without interfering with themovements of the vessel or detracting from the submarine appearance.Preferably there is arranged around the central post 32 a submergedchamber 45 having transparent walls through which vari-colored lightsmay show beneath the water, enhancing the beauty and novelty of thescene. Ingress and egress is had to the chamber 45 from a point outsidethe water tank B through a water tight tunnel 46.

From the foregoing itwill be seen that I have devised a novel,entertaining and instruct-ive amusement apparatus, which may be employedin demonstrating the science of submarine travel with the trillingsensations attendant thereto. Many interesting and spectacular effectsmay be obtained by arranging various structures illuminated orotherwise, illustrating marine life, parallel to' the path of travel ofthe submerged vessel.

Horizontal guide rollers 47 are mounted on the carriage 12 and areadapted to bear against the inside faces of the rails 29. These rollers47 act as bearings to reduce the friction due to the side thrust of thecarriage 12 against the rails.

It will be observed that the hull A is maintained in an upright positionand held against capsizing by means of the pinions 7-10, and idlerollers 9 which engage the toothed racks 8 on opposite sides.

While I have particularly shown and described the means for submergingthe hull A as consisting of the toothed racks 8, pinions 7 and theirconnections, it is obvious that any suitable and appropriate mechanismother than this may be employed, if desired.

It is also obvious that driving mechanism other than the propeller 30may be used for propelling the structure along the track rails 29.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is 1. In an aquatic amusement device, the combination ofa submerged carriage, tracks on which the carriage travels, asubmergible passenger conveyance connected with the carriage, apropeller means for driving the carriage and conveyance through thewater in simulation of a submarine, and rack and pinion mechanism on thecarriage and conveyance for raising and lowering the conveyanceindependently of the carriage.

2. In an aquatic amusement device, the combination of a submergedcarriage, tracks on which the carriage travels, a submergible passengerconveyance connected with the carriage, a propeller means for drivingthe carriage and conveyance through the water in simulation of asubmarine, and means for raising and lowering the conveyanceindependently of the carriage, said conveyance having a conning towerthrough which ingress and egress is had, the entrance to said conningtower always being above the water level.

3. The combination with a water containing receptacle, a submerged tracktherein, a carriage adapted to run on said track, a submergible vesselconnected with the carriage and having means of ingress and egress, acentral submerged water tight Chamber concentric with the track andhaving a water tight tunnel or passage extending outside the receptaclefor giving ingress and egress to the chamber, and connections betweenthe chamber and the carriage.

4. The combination with a water-containing receptacle, of a submergedcontinuous track therein, a carriage running on the track, said carriagehaving fore and aft vertically disposed guides, a conveyance forpassengers contained between the guides and submergible and adapted toconvey passengers underneath the water, and means acting on the water topropel the carriage.

5. An amusement apparatus comprising a submerged carriage, a floatingstructure attached to said carriage, means including vertical guideracks on the carriage and driven pinions on the ioating structure bywhich said floating structure may be raised and lowered in relation tosaid carriage, and means for propelling said carriage and said floatingstructure in unison.

6. An amusement apparatus comprisinga submerged carriage, a track onwhich said carriage is adapted to travel, a passenger carrying iioatingstructure attached to said carriage, means including racks and motordriven pinions on the carriage and floating structure by which saidstructure may be raised and lowered in relation to said carriage, andmeans for propelling the carriage and the floating structure along thetrack in unison.

7. An amusement apparatus comprising a submerged carriage, a track onwhich said carriage is adapted to travel, a passenger carrying floatingstructure attached to said carriage, and means by which said structuremay be raised and lowered in relation to said carriage, said meansincluding vertically disposed toothed racks on said carriage, arevoluble shaft carried by the floatingl structure, pinions on saidshaft meshing with said racks and means for rotating said shaft.

8. An amusement apparatus comprising a submerged carriage, a track onwhich said carriage is adapted to travel, a passenger carrying floatingstructure attached to said carriage, means by which said structure maybe raised and lowered in relation to said cari'iage, said meansincluding vertically disposed toothed racks at each end of saidcarriage, a revoluble shaft carried by the floating structure andprojecting beyond the ends thereof, pinions on the projecting ends ofsaid shaft meshing with said racks, means for rotating said shaft, andmeans for pro* pelling the carriage and the floating structure along thetrack in unison.

9. An amusement apparatus comprising a submerged carriage, a track onwhich said carriage is adapted to travel, a passenger carrying floatingstructure attached to saidv carriage, means by which said structure maybe raised and lowered in relation to said cai'- riage, said meansincluding vertically disposed toothed racks on said carriage, arevoluble shaft carried by the floating structure said shaft extendinglongitudinally through the structure and projecting beyond the endsthereof, pinions on the projecting ends of said shaft meshing with saidracks, means for rotating said shaft, and means for propelling thecarriage and the floating structure along the track in unison, saidmeans consisting of a screw propeller mounted on said floatingstructure.

l0. An amusement apparatus comprising a combination, a submergedcarriage, a circular track on which said carriage is adapted to'travel,a floating structure adapted t0 carry passengers attached to saidcarriage,

,and means by which the floating structure lwith said racks, and meansfor rotating said shaft in either direction to cause the pinions totravel on said racks.

l1. An amusement apparatus comprising in combination, a submergedcarriage, a circular track on which said carriage is adapted to travel,a floating stiucture adapted t0 carry passengers attached to saidcarriage, means by which the floating structure may be raised andlowered including vertically disposed toothed racks at the ends of saidcarriage, motor driven pinions on said floating structure meshing withsaid racks, means for rotating said pinions in either direction to causethem to travel on said racks, means for propelling the carriage alongthe circular track consisting of a screw propeller mounted on saidfloating structure, and means for retaining the carriage in the centerof the track.

12. An amusement apparatus comprising in combination a submergedcarriage, a circular track on which said carriage is adapted to travel,a floating structure adapted to carry passengers attached to saidcarriage, means by which the floating structure may be raised andlowered including vertically disposed toothed racks on said carriage, arevoluble shaft carried by the floating structure, pinions on said shaftmeshing with said racks, a clutch mechanism for rotating said shaft ineither direction to cause the pinions to travel on said racks, means forpropelling the carriage along the circular track, consisting of a screwpropeller mounted on said floating structure, and means for retainingthe carriage in the center of the tracks, said means consisting of anarm attached to said carriage and pivoted at the center of the circulartrack.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JACOB GUNZENDORFER. Vitnesses i JOHN H. HERRING, FRANCES V. COLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

` Washington, D. C.

